Visual display device



Dec. 25, 1956 H. D. BERMAN VISUAL DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1955 INVENTOR.

HYM/E 2:2. EE'RMHN United States Patent VISUAL DISPLAY DEVICE Hymie D. Berman, Minneapolis, Minn. Application August 15, 1955, Serial No. 528,191

3 Claims. (CI. 35-35) This invention relates to visual display devices and more specifically relates to such devices adapted to have display characters attached thereto.

It is frequently helpful and eflective for a lecturer to use visual aids along with his oral presentation so as to create emphasis and lasting impressions concerning the vital parts of the lecture subject matter. In the use of display panels it is somewhat distracting to have characters or other visual displays on the display panel prematurely of the time in the lecture when the display in question would be of most value. Obviously it is especially effective in the use of such display panels or boards to be able to quickly apply characters, complete words or phrases in an orderly manner for visual presentation.

It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved visual display device to which display characters and the like may be readily and easily attached with a minimum of inconvenience so as to permit the lecturer to display and remove such characters during his oral presentation.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel visual display device utilizing a non-drying adhesive applied to a surface in such a manner that display characters may be quickly and accurately attached to the surface in a desired manner.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved visual display device with non-drying, pressuresensitive adhesive applied to a surface in parallel strips to provide a reference for positioning display characters on the surface and substantially simultaneously creating a bond between the characters and the surface as they are placed in their desired position.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of the visual display device comprising the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged detail cross section view taken through the device substantially at 22 of Fig. 1.

The visual display device shown includes a rigid panel or board indicated in general by numeral of an enlarged size. Board 10 is provided with a covering 11 of a fabric material constructed in such a manner that p the ends of many fibers extend out from the surface.

A typical example of such type fabric is cotton flannel. A suitable binding strip 12 circumscribes the edges of the board 10 and retains the flannel covering 11 thereon.

Another display panel or board 13 is provided and is constructed of a suitable rigid material. A backing 14 is applied to the rear surface of panel 13 and the backing 14 consists of a coating of particles which may be fibrous secured to the rear surface of the panel 13 in such a manner that the particles or fibers stand on end. The backing 14 may consist of a flock or velure cover- 1%, both of which are well known in the art. The

display panel 13 may be applied to the inclined board 10 in a manner so as to cause the flock or velure backing 14 to engage the flannel covering 11. The display panel 13 will stay in a desired position on board 10 due to the cooperative action of the flock backing 14 and the flannel covering 11, at least when board 10 is inclined as shown in Fig. 2.

A plurality of areas or strips of non-drying and pressure-sensitive adhesive 15 are applied to the front surface of the display panel 13. It will be noted that the areas of adhesive are arranged in a regular pattern and in the form shown are arranged parallel to each other and in spaced relation to each other. The adhesive material may consist of any conventional type pressuresensitive and non-drying adhesive, and in the form shown consists of a thin film of relatively soft wax having a resin mixed therewith. The strips of adhesive 15 are applied in a thin film and in the form shown the thin film is transparent so that it is not readily visible from a substantial distance away from the panel 13 but is inconspicuously visible from close range. Because of the transparent or translucent nature of the adhesive used in strips 15 the strips appear to have the same color as the front surface of display panel 13.

I also provide a plurality of characters 16 such as letters and numbers, which are meant to be exemplary and not limiting, which are applied onto the display panel 13. Characters 16 have a color which contrasts with the color of the display panel 13 and are therefore readily visible when placed thereon. Characters 16 have a backing 17 applied to the rear surface thereof which is constructed of a material substantially identical to the backing 14 applied to display panel 13. In the form shown, the backing 17 is constructed of flock wherein the particles stand substantially on end and extend substantially normal to the rear surface of the characters 16.

It should be understood that characters 16 may be constructed without the flock backing thereon. Characters having a smooth back surface similar to the smooth front surface thereof, will securely adhere to the adhesive strips on panel 13.

The characters 16 will be laid on the front surface of the display panel 13 with the flock backing engaging the strips 15 of non-drying pressure-sensitive adhesive. Only a light pressure need be applied to the characters 16 to cause the adhesive 15 and the flock backing 17 to cooperate in retaining the characters in their chosen position on the panel 13. At least some of the particles comprising the flock backing will partially embed themselves when pressure is applied into the adhesive to provide a secure bonding between the display panel 13 and the characters 16.

It should be noted that the characters 16 may be readily and easily removed from the display panel 13 by merely lifting them off and they may be quickly repositioned or replaced back on the panel. When the characters 16 are being positioned on the panel 13, the regular pattern provided by the spaced and parallel strips of adhesive provides a reference, clearly visible at close range to permit the characters 16 to be properly aligned on the panel.

The panels 13 may be provided in a variety of sizes so as to permit the application of characters formed into words and phrases to these display panels 13 and then the display panels 13 may be quickly and easily applied to the flannel covering 11. Therefore, as a lecturer uses the display device, he may visually present key words or phrases or other display material at the proper time by having the panels 13 previously prepared with the proper words and characters attached thereto and by synchronizing the placing of the panels 13 on the flannel covered board 10 with his oral presentation. The characters Men the displaypanel maybe readily and easily changed around to represent different subject matter at a subsequent lecture or use of the display panel.

It should be noted that I have provided a new and improved visual display device wherein the display panel is provided with a flock backing for ready attachment to a flannel covered board and is also provided with strips of non-drying adhesive which, after providing a reference for the placement of characters on the panel, cooperates with the flock backing on the characters to securely bond the characters on the panel for display purposes. The characters on the panel may be readily and easily removed to be changed about or replaced and the panel with characters applied thereto may be quickly mounted on the flannel covered board or removed therefrom as desired.

It is to be noted that where, herein, the term flock or flocked-backing is used, it is expressly meant to include a covering on a surface constructed of small elongated particles, such as fiber particles, but not necessarily limited to wool, which stand generally on end on the surface and are attached to the surface by suitable means. In the specific form disclosed, a thin film of adhesive is applied to the panel surface and the fiber particles are then sprinkled thereon and then caused to of my invention which consists of the matter described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a visual display device for use with .a flannelcovered display board, the combination of panel means defining enlarged front and rear surfaces, said rear surface having a flock covering thereon to engage .the flannel-covered display board for holding said panel means in a desired position thereon, a number of spaced and parallel strips of non-drying adhesive applied on said front surface, and a plurality of display characters having contrasting colors relative to said surface and each having a flock-covered surface on one side thereof, said characters being applied to said front surface, said adhesive strips providing a reference for the arrangement of said characters in a uniform and orderly fashion, and also coacting with said flock-covered surfaces of said characters in retaining the characters on said front surface, whereby said characters may be readily and easily removed and interchanged to provide a desired display, and said panel means with prearranged characters thereon may be quickly applied to and removed from the flannel-covered display board.

2. In a visual display device for use with a display board of the general type having upstanding fibers secured on one side thereof, the combination of panel means defining large front and rear surfaces, said rear surface having a flock covering thereon to engage the fibers of the display board to effectively hold said panel means in a desired position thereon, a plurality of spaced and parallel strips of non-drying adhesive applied on said front surface and a plurality of display characters having contrasting colors relative to said surface, said characters being applied to said front surface through the adhesion of said strips, said adhesive strips functioning, in addition to holding said characters, as a reference for the arrangement thereof in a desired pattern, whereby said characters may be readily and easily removed and interchanged to provide a desired display and said panel means with the pre-arranged characters thereon may be quickly applied to and removed from the fiber-covered display board.

3. In a visual display device for use with a display board of the general type having upstanding fibers secured on one side thereof, the combination of panel means defining enlarged front and rear surfaces, said rear surface having a flock covering thereon to engage the fibers of the display board for holding said panel means in a desired position thereon, a number of spaced and parallel strips of non-drying adhesive applied on said front surface, and a plurality of rigid characters of contrasting color relative to said surface, said strips being of relatively narrow width as compared to the size of said characters and-said adhesive strips providing a reference for the placement of said characters in a desired References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,099,372 Hughes June 9, 1914 1,772,697 Backmyer Aug. 12, 1930 1,922,229 Burke Aug. 15, 1933 2,046,924 Pendergast July 7, .1936 2,250,583 Krauter July .29, 1941 2,264,628 Engert Dec. 2, 1941 2,369,804 Schoolfield Feb. 20, 1945 2,586,039 Heggedal .Feb. 19, 1952 2,592,078 Taylor Apr. 8, 1952 

